The Girl In The Woman
by rachelandjuliaBWSC
Summary: Sisters never tell" and other things you can learn from the past.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: They are not ours.

Spoilers: Potable Vermin

A/N (Rachel): Another collaboration, yay! Thanks for doing this with me, Beef-Ef!

A/N (Julia): I'll never quite understand how we come up with these or how we anticipate what the other person wants and write it before they say it. But we do. So, who am I to complain?

This story is for... BRITTNEY! We loved torturing you with this. Hope you love it as much as we love you! Love, your mom and sister.

* * *

"But I don't like history!" Parker moaned, rolling his eyes back into his head and throwing himself back against his chair.

"Not even the Vikings?" his babysitter Allison asked, slightly amused. She was used to Parker's theatrics.

"They're dead. Bones says that stuff in history books is mostly wrong anyway."

"That doesn't mean that it's not going to be on your test on Friday."

"I wish Bones was my teacher."

"Too bad. Now what can you tell me about Roanoke?"

He thought for a moment, sighing and blowing his hair off of his forehead.

"It rhymes with Row, Row, Row Your Boat?"

"Parker."

"They carved something on a tree and then disappeared."

"Thank you."

"This is boring."

"It's not going to be boring one day when I find out what happened to them."

"You're going to find out?"

"That's what archaeologists do. We solve really old mysteries, dig up treasure, and mostly get to play in the dirt."

"Treasure?"

"Yep."

"Have you ever found any treasure yet?"

"Not yet, but someday, when I'm an archaeologist for real, maybe."

Allison ruffled Parker's curls and pulled out his homework folder. She flipped through the papers, pulling out things that Agent Booth needed to sign, and grabbing Parker's spelling list.

"Do we have to do spelling? I know it," Parker rolled his eyes.

"Then prove it," Allison chuckled. "Declaration."

"D-E-C-L..." Parker slowed, carefully thinking about the next letter. "A-R-A-S-H-U-N?"

"Close, but no cigar," she smirked. "Look over the list and I'll fix you a snack."

"Can I have a cookie?"

"No," Allison shook her head. "You know the rules, Park."

"But it's THURSDAY!" Parker protested. "I had a math test today and I did good."

"After dinner." Allison stood up. "Study your word list and I'll cut an apple up."

"Grr." Parker grunted and threw his pencil down on the table.

"So dramatic."

"Why do you always say that?"

"Because you are."

"Can I have some peanut butter with my apple?"

"Why?"

"Bones told me that peanut butter has protein and good fats and it will help me to stay focused. I asked her if it worked better than that cereal on the commercials, but she didn't know what I was talking about."

"Parker, who is Bones?"

"She's my dad's friend. They work together. She has a pool."

"I bet you think that's awesome."

"Yep. Bones also writes books. Wanna see?"

"Sure."

He was halfway across the living room when the door opened and Booth walked in.

"DAD!" Parker hollered, detouring around the coffee table and jumping into his father's arms.

"Hey Park."

"Did you catch any bad guys today?"

"Nope. But Hodgins blew up a pig head."

"No way! Why didn't you let me see?"

"Because you would have smelled like pork. How's your homework coming?"

"Allison's making me do spelling. I hate spelling."

"You'll like it much more when you're trying to write love letters. Believe me."

"Love letters? To girls?"

"Of course."

"Gross!"

"You say 'gross' now, bud."

Booth placed Parker down on the floor and moved deeper into the apartment. "How's the baby sitter from the Black Lagoon?"

"I'm the devil," Allison chuckled. "He's done with History and Science. We're working on spelling."

"There's no math today, we had a test," Parker piped in.

"How'd you do?" Booth asked.

"Dunno," Parker shrugged. "I think I did good. Teacher'll have it graded tomorrow."

Booth nodded.

"There's a stack of papers you need to sign, Agent Booth." Allison informed him, "He has a field trip next Tuesday and he still needs his medical forms filled out."

"Thanks," Booth smiled. "Finish your spelling list buddy and we'll get pizza."

"Yes!" Parker jumped and grinned, grabbing Allison's hand and pulling her to the table. "HELP."

"Parker..." Booth warned.

"Please," he added.

Allison smiled and sat down again, pointing to one of the words on the list.

"Fluorescent," Parker said, nodding his head. Allison covered the word up with her hand.

"Spell it."

"I remember this one. What did you say? F-l-u like the flu. O-r-e like Oregon and s-c-e-n-t like smell. F-l-u-o-r-e-s-c-e-n-t. Right?"

"Correct. Arithmetic?"

He spelled the word correctly again, after a few false starts. They worked though the list and Parker was just finishing up the last word when Booth came out of his bedroom, dressed in more casual clothes.

"Alright, bud. Say bye to Allison. She needs to go have a life."

"Okay. Bye Allison. I'll see you tomorrow. Don't forget a Nerf gun."

"Don't worry. I won't."

She picked up her bag and headed for the door.

"Hey dad, can Bones come eat pizza with us?" she heard Parker ask.

"Me and Bones had an argument today. I don't think she's going to want to have pizza with us."

"She won the fight, huh?"

"Yes she did."

Allison smirked to herself and she shut the door behind her.

* * *

Allison sat in the pick-up line at Jackson Elementary School. It had been a long week and Parker had diligently done his homework without a fight all week - even bringing home two A's in Math and History. Since there was no homework on Fridays, Allison had given into his pleas for a trip to the park.

"Hi Allison!" Parker climbed in the backseat of Allison's Jeep.

Allison smiled, "Hey Park, how was school?"

"Good." Parker shrugged, shoving his Spiderman backpack to the floorboard and fastening his seat belt, "I aced my math test."

"High five, Bub." Allison extended her arm and Parker slapped the palm of her right hand.

Allison joined the long line of parents leaving the parking lot, "I brought my nerf gun."

"Yes! I'mma kick your butt." Parker taunted.

"Oh really?"

"Chyeah." Parker rolled his eyes.

"We'll have to see about that," Allison laughed and slid her sunglasses on, "So did you have fun with your dad last night?"

"Yeah," Parker nodded, "I told him to get Bones flowers, to make up for their fight."

"You're wise, P."

"I'm Yoda."

"I used to have a light saber key chain," Allison smiled. "It was green and it lit up."

"That's so cool." Parker's eyes went wide. "Why don't they have those anymore?"

"Because everything cool went out with the nineties," she laughed and turned into the parking lot for the park.

Parker jumped out of the car and pulled his Nerf gun out of his backpack.

"You ready for this, lady?" he asked, poised to shoot.

"You wouldn't shoot an unarmed civilian would you?"

"My dad shot a clown once," he said, lowering his gun a little. "But it was fake. I'm not supposed to know about it."

Allison laughed and took her own Nerf gun from the backseat of the car. Parker always told her things that he wasn't supposed to know.

"Alright Tex. Twenty paces. Go."

Parker laughed and walked away from her, then spun back around and shot a Nerf dart into her leg. She shouted and took off running after him, nailing him in the back. He did a dramatic fall to the ground, then waited until she was closer, and shot her in the head.

The war lasted for almost an hour before they both collapsed, exhausted, to the ground.

"That was the best Nerf gun fight EVER."

"I must say, I do agree, little man."

"Can we do it again?"

"Give me another week to recuperate."

"Recuperate. R-e-c-u-p-e-r-a-t-e. Recuperate."

"Nice job. I owe you a bag of gummi-worms for that, I think."

"Allison?"

"Yeah?"

"You're so cool."

"Thanks, Park. I try."

He stood up and grabbed her hand, pulling her up from the ground.

"Come on, let's go see my dad at work. That vending machine has the best candy."

Allison checked her watch.

"Alright, but if he's busy I'm taking you home."

"Okay," he agreed, climbing into the back seat of her car.

They drove to the Hoover building in near silence, still tired from the warfare in the park. Allison found a spot in visitor parking and she and Parker went into the building together. He grabbed her hand as they boarded the elevator. He didn't like to be crowded, especially by a lot of people who were so much taller than him. She squeezed his hand and he smiled up at her. That smile did her in every time. The doors opened onto their floor and they left the elevator. Parker readjusted his backpack to keep it from slipping off of his shoulders, then led the way to his dad's office. The door was open and he shot through it when he noticed one of his favorite people standing inside.

"BONES!" he shouted, wrapping his arms around her middle.

"Hey Parker," she greeted, leaning down a little to hug him. He was just as touchy-feely as his father, and she was still getting used to these displays of affection from him.

"You and dad musta fixed your fight."

"Well, I wouldn't call it a fight."

"It was a fight, Bones," Booth said from his chair.

"It was not. It was a minor disagreement about which was the best way back to the Jeffersonian. We took your way and ran into construction and you cursed at me. It was a fight."

"I was mad, I-" he trailed off as he noticed a smirking Allison standing in the doorway. He cleared his throat and she stepped inside.

"Allison, this is my partner, Dr.-"

"Temperance Brennan," Allison finished, her eyes wide and her face suddenly losing color.

Brennan had the same look on her face.

"Alli?"


	2. Chapter 2

"You two know each other?" Booth's jaw slacked slightly.

"Alli..." She cleared her throat, "Alli was one of my foster siblings, she was five then."

"I'm nineteen now, Tempe." Allison whispered, brushing a lock of red hair behind her ear.

"I remember."

"I'm sorry, Agent Booth, Parker... I've gotta go."

Alli looked Brennan in the eye before turning on her heel and racing towards the nearest exit. Her chest heaved as she gasped for air. She never thought she'd see Temperance Brennan again and now, fifteen years later by pure chance they meet again.

She pressed the elevator's down button repeatedly, willing it to go faster. She had to get out of here and clear her head. Fix the world so it was back on its axis where it was supposed to be.

"Alli wait," she heard from behind her. She didn't want to turn around, but she had to. She didn't really have a choice. The two women stared at each other for a long time, neither of them quite knowing what to say.

"Logically, I knew you would grow up," Brennan said finally. "I just never thought about it. But you're... you. You're an adult now."

"Yes. I am."

"I'm not sure what to say in this situation. That never really happens to me."

"Your mouth still getting you into trouble?"

"I suppose I need some lessons in tact."

"Some things never change."

"For the sake of this conversation, I'll agree."

They smiled together.

"Come back to Booth's office. We can talk."

Allison though for a moment, then took a deep breath and nodded, following Brennan back down the hallway.

Booth and Parker seemed to have vacated the office, and Brennan sat down in Booth's chair while Allison took the one on the other side of the desk.

"Do you remember about three weeks before you moved out? You took me to the fair."

"Yes, I remember."

"You bought me cotton candy and caramel corn and we rode on the Tilt-a-Whirl."

"In retrospect, not the best combination."

Allison pulled her wallet out of her purse and handed Brennan a strip of pictures from a photo booth.

"I used to look at these every night, especially when they would move me to a new home. I would have dreams that you would come and take me away and let me live with you. You were the closest thing to a mother I ever had."

"I would have taken you away if I could have."

"I guess, somewhere in my head I know that's true." Allison sighed, "I've missed you."

Brennan nodded, "So... Are you going to college?"

Allison shook her head, "No funding. The loans and grants I got, barely covered a semester. I had to decline Georgetown."

"What were you hoping to study?"

"Archaeology." Allison drummed her nails on her jeans, "This is awkward."

"Most social situations I'm in are awkward." Brennan grinned at her and she laughed.

"Tempe, remember that I know the side of you that defies logic."

"You can't defy logic." Brennan protested, "Logic is logic. It's a constant."

"Well, I know the side of you that used to tell me bedtime stories about fairies and hobgoblins and other mystical beings."

"I'd just read Peter Pan in English, Alli."

"Uh-huh." Allison smirked, "What about when you told me that thunder was just Angels going bowling."

"It's what my father had always told me." Temperance protested.

"Face it, Temperance Brennan, I know a whole 'nother side of you."

"I still don't understand that phrase."

"Tempe, I know the girl who would prattle on and on to anyone who would listen about the futility of wishing for anything, but would then sit up late at night waiting for a shooting star to wish on. You're full of contradictions. At least you were."

"I was a teenager. My mind hadn't fully formed yet, and I-"

"Don't try to explain it. That's what happened. You were the only person in my life who told me it was okay to cry and feel sad. You never yelled at me like my parents had, you never expected me to clean up my side of the room or finish everything on my plate. You let me be a kid. You were the only one. And I very highly doubt you ever played Princess Dress up with anyone else in your life."

"Okay, maybe I made exceptions for you."

"You did. Those exceptions were the things I held on to after you moved out."

"I never stopped thinking about you. I was glad to be out of the system... but... I wanted to go back for you." She whispered.

"I was happy you were out, but I wanted you to come back for me too." Allison whispered and placed a hand on Brennan's arm.

"So... what next?" Temperance asked, confused about the social protocol.

"How about we round up the Booth boys and get some dinner." She offered, "Lord only knows how those boys eat as much as they do."

"Actually-"

Allison held her hand up, "It's an expression. Drop it at that."

Brennan smiled as the two made their way out of the office.

"Alli, don't ever let Booth see those pictures, okay? He'll never stop making fun of my side ponytail."

"Well, well, look who knows 90's fashion."

"I remember a few things."

Allison chuckled as they rounded the corner to find Booth and Parker in the lounge.

"Everything okay?" Booth asked.

"Why wouldn't it be?"

"Good. That means that Allison can tell me stories about a young Temperance Brennan."

"She can't," Brennan said with a smile. "Sisters never tell."

"Yeah, especially when it's about the cow poop that mysteriously appeared in Greg's bed," Allison agreed, causing Brennan's face to turn almost purple.

"Bones?"

"He put a fake snake under my pillow. You know I hate snakes."

"And now I know that practical jokes could be harmful to our partnership. Remind me to mention that to Sweets."

"Who's Sweets?"

"Alli, we've got a lot of catching up to do."


	3. Chapter 3

"Parker, I love you, but if you throw one more fry at me... you'll be sleeping with Nemo."

Parker just looked at her for a second, then ate the fry he had been preparing to launch at Allison.

"Wise decision, grasshopper."

He nodded and finished his hamburger, then tapped his father on the arm.

"Dad?"

"Yeah?"

"Can I go play in the arcade?"

"I don't have any quarters, buddy."

"Not even one?"

"Nope."

Parker sighed and Allison and Brennan simultaneously reached into their pockets, pulling out handfuls of change. Parker's eyes lit up.

"THANKS!" he shouted, grabbing the quarters and running off.

"I feel like a kept man," Booth said, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms over his chest.

Allison rolled her eyes and Brennan just stared at him for a moment.

"So Allison, tell me about Bones as a teenager. Was she all knees and elbows with a mouth full of braces?"

"Nah. She looked exactly the way she does now except she never wore make-up back then."

"Why not?"

"In our foster home it wasn't allowed," Brennan said quietly. Allison nodded.

"So tell me something embarrassing."

They just looked at him again.

"Fine, tell me something funny."

"There was that one time-"

"That time? No, what about that other time-"

"We can't tell him that. What about the-"

"Yeah, that's not too bad."

"GIRLS."

"Home made slip and slides."

"A rainstorm has never been such fun."

"Well, it was all fun until Joey skidded across the grass and onto the gravel driveway."

"Yeah, that part wasn't so good."

They left out the beating Brennan had received for being the instigator of the whole adventure.

"Was there lightening?"

"Booth, we weren't stupid enough to play in a lightning storm."

"You were stupid enough to go hooky-bobbing on the back of a police car."

"I was dared, Alli and you know it."

"You scared me to death."

"If I would have known you were watching, I never would have done it."

"What's hooky-bobbing?"

"When the roads are icy and you grab on to the back bumper of a moving car. You use your feet as skis, and you have to ditch it before the car stops."

"You mean skitching?"

"Yeah, I guess so."

"Bones, you skitched? On a police car? You liar, you have done something bad!"

The expression on his face was a mix of shock and pride and Brennan blushed just a little. The entire exchange made Allison giggle to herself.

"Everyone did it, Booth. It was peer pressure. I wouldn't succumb to peer pressure now. I'm much too logical for that."

"Sure you are, Bones. Sure. You guys want some pie?"

"No thanks. I'm stuffed," Allison said, glancing at her empty plate.

"You know I don't like pie, Booth."

"I meant like lemon meringue or something. Not cooked fruit. I would never suggest such a thing."

"Tempe, you still hate fruit pie?"

"Yes, I do. I don't like my apples slimy."

"But they're good. They have cinnamon and vanilla on them. The crust will be flaky and warm, and you can get some ice-cream with it too. You won't regret it."

"Well... alright."

Booth's jaw went slack from shock; for the past five years he had tried to get Bones to enjoy a slice of pie with him. Alli had barely said two sentences and she'd given in. He was amazed.

And a little green with envy.

* * *

"I can't believe you made me have that pie," Brennan said as she opened the door to her apartment.

"I can't believe you ate two slices and were thinking about a third."

"Well... it was good pie."

Allison chuckled as Brennan toed off her shoes and tossed them into the bedroom.

"Feel free to grab whatever you want out of the fridge. I'm going to try and find that movie."

"I never felt comfortable taking stuff out of anyone's fridge. I remember getting yelled at for it."

"I always felt like I was invading on people's lives. Every home was like that."

"Agent Booth was the first person that I ever met that I felt comfortable just going into his fridge like that."

"Me too," Brennan admitted with a smile. Allison grinned and walked over to the fridge, pulling out a bottle of water, just as Brennan found the DVD they were looking for.

"Got it. Should I make some popcorn?"

"Tempe, are you really thinking about popcorn after all that food we just ate?"

"I suppose you're right. Maybe later."

Allison settled into the couch as Brennan put her copy of _My Fair Lady_ into the DVD player.

"Booth would never watch this with me. He hates chick flicks. We always end up watching _The Godfather_ or _Top Gun_."

"That doesn't surprise me. At all."

"Alli, when did you start working for Booth?"

"About six months ago. Parker's mom got a new job or something, so Parker is with Agent Booth more often. He wanted kind of a nanny/tutor combo. He called the agency I work for and I went for an interview the next day. Parker actually picked me. I was the only person they interviewed that knew about _Star Wars_."

"That sounds like Parker."

"He worships you."

"Well, I don't know about that."

"He talks about you non-stop. Bones this and Bones that. Reminds me of me when I was a kid. I wanted to be Tempe when I grew up until I was about twelve."

"That's silly."

She shrugged.

"I know that now. But you were my best friend. I never had anyone else like you."

Brennan nodded.

"I never really thought about the connections you make in a situation like that. You really have to make your own family."

"Yeah."

They fell silent for a while, watching the movie play on the screen.

"Tempe?"

"Yeah?"

"I think we need marshmallows and M&M's."

"And potato chips?"

"Oh yeah. A regular girls night."

Brennan laughed and paused the movie.

"Come on. Let's raid the fridge."


End file.
